204} SECOND JOURNEY TO THE 



seaward side being brackish ; and in the 

 further progress of three miles to the island, 

 we had the indescribable pleasure of finding 

 the water decidedly salt." 



To this island Captain Franklin gave the 

 name of Garry. Its latitude 69° 29' N., 

 longitude 135° 41' W., variation of the needle 

 51° 42' E. : temperature of the air 52° — of 

 the sea water 51° — of the fresh water 55°. 

 It abounded with layers of wood-coal, similar 

 to that found in the Mackenzie, besides a 

 bituminous liquid trickling down the sides 

 of the cliff. The discovery of this bitu- 

 minous shale might have been attended with 

 dangerous, perhaps fatal, consequences. 

 " In the course of the evening," says Cap- 

 tain Franklin, " I found that a piece of the 

 wood-coal from Garry's Island, which I 

 had placed in my pocket, had ignited spon- 

 taneously, and scorched the metal powder- 

 horn by its side." Small as this island is, 

 numbers of moose and rein-deer, and foxes, 

 were seen upon it ; and several kinds of 

 gulls, dotterels, geese, cranes, and swans 

 were flocking around its shores. The ve- 



